I Think She's Sane!
by Memory Rise
Summary: After the Kishin's defeat uprisings happened frequently. Ties were cut, friendships turned cold. The Shinigami disappeared, order was torn to shreds, and The Pre-Kishin Weapon Meister Academy was born. Abercombie, a student, tries to hide a deadly secret, while Onyx is dealing with her insanity's balance she has worked so hard to maintain. And then it all goes wrong.
1. Hmm

**TRG: ALRIGHTY! Ladies, gentlemen and others, I welcome you to the irate chapter of I Think She's Sane! My name is The Real Ginger, and this is my buddy MintyMintMints! Boy, have we got a story for you!**

**MintyMintMints: It's gonna be filled with action! Suspense! Love! And madness!**

**Ginger: Especially madness. **

**Mint: Yeah...**

**Ginger: Any comments before we get started?**

**Mint: Uh... nah. Let's just go. ONWARD WITH LE STORY**

**Ginger: That's boring... but yes! ONWARD!**

**Disclaimer: NEITHER GINGER OR MINT OWNS ANYTHING ABOUT AOUL EATER NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY WISH THEY DID. **

**Chapter 1: Hmm. **

* * *

Hmm.

I wonder.

Hmmmmm.

If you're aware of the fact you're insane.

Hmmmmmmmm.

Are you still insane.

Hmm.

Of course I'm not insane.

Hmmmmm.

Are you insane.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Gee, that'd be scary.

Hmmmmmmm.

I can't imagine being insane.

Hmm.

If a caterpillar doesn't want to become a butterfly, does it really have to? Hmm.

Or if perhaps a child does not want to get up and walk on two legs, are they able to crawl for the rest do their lives?

Hmm.

That would make my knees hurt.

Hmmmmmmm.

"What the hell are you doing?" My partner, Abercrombie, asks.

"Oh. Darn." I reply, looking up at her silhouette in my doorway.

Like Godzilla arriving in Tokyo.

"I asked you a question, idiot." She presses. I sigh and roll off my hands and knees and onto my back.

"Crawling to see if it hurt my knees." I respond. She rolls her eyes.

"You're insane."

"Am not."

She rolls her eyes once more and exits, leaving me in my darkened bedroom. Alone.

Hmm. I wonder what's wrong with her. She always questions my antics, and never tells me anything. Maybe she's... Sane?

...

Pfft, no. Nobody here is sane. That's ridiculous. If somebody was, Lady Arachne would have their ass for sure.

* * *

How stupid of me, I called him insane. Way to almost blow your cover, Abercrombie.

I look myself up and down in the mirror. Light blue tank top, baggy camouflage cargo pants over top of gray spandex, which are slightly visible beneath my belt, and sneakers.

Too normal.

I slip a single fingerless black biker glove onto my right hand.

Still not good enough.

I switch my converse out for a pair of combat boots, and fold the top of the left shoe over the laces.

Pigtails. Pigtails are good. Wait, but Maka wears pigtails. Crap. Umm... Side ponytail? Or maybe I should just leave it down without brushing it. Yeah. That's good.

As I tease my long, straight brown hair, Emory, my meister, enters the room. He's a tall, thin 14-year-old with thick blue hair and big green eyes. Today he's wearing a pair of ripped jeans (which did NOT come ripped by the way) and a leather jacket, without a shirt underneath. He's slightly muscular, but still not strong enough to beat me in a fistfight. And, like usual, he's here to ask me a ridiculously out-of-context question.

"Did you mention something about Godzilla earlier?" He asks. I blink and shake my head.

"No. Why?"

"No reason. Don't break any buildings on your way out." He says. I ignore him and shake my hair out.

"There we go." I say with a smile. "Yo! Em! How do I look?" I ask, standing up and placing my hands on my hips. He tilts his head and places a finger on his chin.

"Terrible."

"Perfect."

* * *

"Today's Halloween." I say, sliding my hands into my pockets. Emory kicks a rock beside me as he walks.

"Oh. Fun."

"Do you think I'm too old for trick-or-treating?"

"No. Wait, how old are you again?"

"Fifteen."

"Then yes."

"I'm still going. And you're coming with me."

"Okay."

I narrow my eyes at him. I can never get this kid. "What do you want to go as?" I ask, struggling to keep the conversation going. Every morning, the walk to school is dead silent. Today I'm changing that. Even though he's off his rockers, nothing says I can't be friends with my meister.

"I dunno. How about Emory Striker?" He suggests.

"You can't go as yourself, idiot." I say. He shrugs. "But you can."

"I can what?"

"Go as me." I ponder the idea for a bit. "Hmm."

"Hmm." He mocks. Then he giggles and wraps his arms around me. "I can't wait to go trick-or-treating with you, Abbey!" He giggles. I sigh and pat him on the back.

"Neither can I, Em."

* * *

In the darkest parts of a heart,

Madness is born like a dart.

It winds and twines,

And heaves and grinds,

Until it covers the soul with a start.

My name is Onyx Emeri.

I don't like sane people.

I am what is called a "Meister."

People like me since I'm pretty.

But they're jealous of me, too.

Jealousy is an emotion that I don't delve into.

It's odd.

I'm sanely insane.

I feel.

I know.

I don't hallucinate.

I'm just...

Insane.

I killed a Meister and their Weapon when I was six, before the PKWMA was what it was. It was in self-defense, but I was hunted after that.

When I was 14, I heard about Asura and Team Maka's battle. I didn't get why they killed him. He seemed fine. Madness felt good. I was infected with a very strong... case. I learned to control it. I can feel without feeling, become completely engulfed in it with my control. I don't mind school. I'm highly regarded as the top student, besides...

I won't go into that.

But I am the most insane student here, don't come to hasty conclusions just because I can see clearly.

I will rip apart anyone from limb to limb, without hesitation.

I already have.

And I will readily do it again.

Walking to school, I see no one. It isn't unusual. After all, this is when madness reins over many minds, rapidly spinning and twirlin. Sleep is being rubbed out of the eyes of insane peers, imagination is at its highest point, heightening killer instincts.

I hum a tune and walk slowly, walking only on the flat surfaces of the oddly-cobbled road. A little swirl of mist hangs around my feet. A perfect day.

Everything is red, and that makes me almost feel the emotion of elation.

Almost.

In the hallway, students communicate and holler, cackling and giggling. A couple to my left looks as if they are attacking each other's faces, trying to suck them off.

I guess the emotion of love is at its peak inside of their minds.

Disgusting.

I walk to my locker, my face that of stony indifference and open it, grabbing my books and plopping them into my bag. I close the locker and walk to Class Crescent Moon and take my seat.

I notice, out of all of the clamor, two students that I haven't bothered ever looking at before. Their names are Abercrombie Elm and Emory Striker. Emory is the stereotypical insane Meister, but Abercrombie... I sense something odd about her.

Why hadn't I noticed it before? She's sa-!

Wait.

No.

She isn't.

Or is she?

Self doubt is not good.

This is not good.

It was a trick of the light.

She's insane.

I watch out for Abercombie to show signs of sanity throughout the lesson, but she doesn't. Abercrombie is insane, but something is off. I don't like it. But I should leave it... it won't do me any good to waste my mind on her. I focus on the lesson, taking notes and scribbling down my own understanding, not delving into the odd sense I got from Abercrombie anymore.

* * *

**Mint: Hi again! Hoped you liked it! ლ(́◉◞౪◟◉‵ლ)**

**Ginger: We worked hard! FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS! Even though some of you may have just brushed it off, I'm going to explain the Godzilla reference. So I'm in this Alice in Wonderland Jr. Play thing at my school, right? And when the Queen if Hearts first comes on stage, the stage direction is "like Godzilla arriving in Tokyo" and I just thought it'd be cute to put that in there.**

**Mint: ****Aw, kawaii... no? Okay. ****By the way, you all can call me Mint, and please comment/critique on my writing! I write Onyx and I wrote the limerick you see here...**

**Ginger: Oh yeah and I wrote as Abercrombie and Emory. Mint will also write for everyone's favorite perfectionist later on, and... ehem, permission to write for Soul?**

**Mint: ****Permission is granted. ****Welcome aboard this flying ship of madness!**

**Ginger: WEEEEEEE!**


	2. Pooh Bear

**Ginger: Hiya! Just me this time. I forgot to ask Minty to do an author's note with me… **

**ANYWAY, if any of you are here from my instagram, than I am the equivalent of Armin. Hi there.**

**I'll bet none of y'all have seen me in BOLD PRINT before. Heh.**

**And for those who are just here because they like me, then… umm...**

**I'm sorry. I've never been faced with this situation before ;^;**

**JUST READ THE STORY PLEEEEASSEEE THANK YOOOUUU!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Pooh Bear**

Stop staring at me.

Please stop staring at me.

You're starting to creep me out.

Please.

"FOR THE LOVE OF ASURA CAN YOU PLEASE STOP FUCKING STARING AT ME?!" I exclaim, slamming my hands down on the table and standing. On the way up I knock over Emory's chocolate milk. He stares at it with a melancholy expression and whimpers slightly.

The girl continues staring. By this time heads everywhere have turned in my direction. I ignore them and stay as I am.

The girl stands up and walks towards the door, obviously meaning to exit the crowded cafeteria. As she passes through the doorframe, though, she turns around and gives me a smirk. I flip my tray and storm after her, pissed off and ready to pound my biker glove into her face.

"Why are you staring at me?"

She was waiting for me. Out in the otherwise empty hallway, a single student sits smoking a cigarette, but he seems too high to notice the two of us.

"Because."

"That's a pretty shitty reason."

"It's still a reason."

"Well either way it's driving me sane."

"Oh dear. We wouldn't want that now would we." Though it should have been a question, the way she phrased it sounded more like a sentence.

I narrow my eyes at her and stick out my lower lip. "You're that girl named after a pokémon, right?" I say, beginning to recognize her long black hair and clear blue eyes.

She blinks a couple times - seven, to be precise - and tilts her head. "Pokémon...?"

"You know. Onix. The giant rock serpent thing. But your name is Onyx. Sounds the same but spelled differently, right?"

"How do you know my name?"

"I know a lot of things about a lot of people, honey."

"Honey."

"Yes, honey. Now if you don't mind, I'd like you to leave me alone." I turn around to reenter the cafeteria.

"Goodbye, Poohbear."

"What...?" I turn around to look at her and question her strange comment, but when I do she's disappeared.

* * *

My milk.

My poor chocolate milk.

Abbey, you monster.

"You okay, Emory?" The girl sitting next to me asks. I shake my head slowly and blink away my tears.

"My chocolate milk..." I look up at her with wide eyes and recognize her as Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, one of the last students to turn when PKWMA was established.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to cry over spilled milk?" She says, placing a hand on my back.

"But it's not milk, it's CHOCOLATE milk." I sniffle and burst into tears. She pulls me closer and pats my head.

"There, there. I honestly don't care but I'll comfort you anyways." She says. I cry into her dress until Abercrombie returns.

"Ugh. Some people." She says as she sits back down.

"YOU MONSTER!" I chuck my empty milk carton at her, but she dodges and instead it hits some white-haired kid in the back of the head.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You spilled my milk, you meaner!"

"Oh. Sorry."

"You owe me a turtle!"

"A turtle?"

"Yes!"

Then a boy - the one I hit with the milk carton - comes up behind her and taps her on the shoulder.

"Oi. Did you throw that milk carton?" He says. She turns around slowly and looks up at him, obviously intimidated by his sharp teeth as beady red eyes.

"Who's that?" I whisper to Tsubaki. She giggles.

"Soul 'Eater' Evans. He holds the record for most human souls consumed. He hates it when people mess with his hair, and you got chocolate milk all over it!" She whispers back. I can tell she's practically shaking with anticipation for the fight to begin.

"U-umm..." Abercrombie trails off and twiddles her thumbs. "W-well, you see... it was actually-"

"I don't wanna hear any bullshit! You fuckin' screwed up my hair, idiot!" He growls and takes a step closer. Abbey cowers away and puts her hands up to shield her face.

"Sorry! It won't happen again!"

"Damn straight it won't, 'cause I'll break your face!" He throws a punch. Abercrombie ducks and rolls under the table.

"Wait a minute, man, you can't fight me without a teacher!" Abercrombie says as she stands back up, desperate to get him to stop.

"I gotcha." Professor Stein calls from the corner of the room. She squeals as Soul leaps over the table and lands in front of her.

"You've gotta be shitting me!" She shouts, as kids around the room shoot up out of their seats and begin cheering them on.

"Come on, Abercrombie!"

"Kick 'er ass, Soul!"

"Rip her to shreds Sharky!" Black Star, Tsubaki's meister, screams as he jumps up on the table.

Abercrombie dodges multiple punches, but loses her balance and falls back into the arms of a black kid who I think is called Kilik.

"Agh! Sorry!" She tries to stand up, but Kilik doesn't let her go.

"Come on, Soul! Get her!" He says, holding her under her arms so Soul can get a good aim.

"Bastard!" She exclaims, squirming as Soul reels back.

"Oops. Bad idea." I giggle. Tsubaki looks at me.

"What?"

"Abercrombie fights with her feet. And she gets a lot stronger when cornered."

Right as I finish my sentence, Abercrombie blocks Soul's fist with her left combat boot, and uses the other to kick him in the face. He flies backwards and into some other kid's sandwich, as Abbey whips her head back into Kilik's forehead. Kilik releases her, and she stands up, whips around and knees him in the gut.

"I thought you were cool, too!" She huffs, turning back around to finish off Soul. As he sits up and rubs his bleeding nose, she grabs his collar and yanks him up, one foot on the bench.

"Stop being so full of yourself! Ever heard of a sink?!" She says, bringing her knee up into his jaw. He grunts and lets his head fall back. Abbey grabs the water bottle sitting on the table and flips him over.

The cafeteria watches in anticipation as she twists off the cap and pours water over the back of his head. Then, to everyone's surprise, she scrubs the chocolate milk out of his hair.

"There. And I didn't throw the carton at you, I just dodged it and you happened to be next in the line of fire." She says. Then she stands up on the table and places her hands on her hips.

"Bet you weren't expecting that, motherfuckers!" She calls. Then she walks over to me, grabs my arm, and drags me toward the exit.

"Permission to leave early?" She says, pausing at the door and turning to Stein.

"Permission not granted, Miss Elm."

"Well fuck you!"

The door slams behind her as she exits.

**Ginger: SORRY MY SISTER IS MAKING ME PLAY APPLES TO APPLES WITH HER AND MY FRIEND SO I HAVE TO GO BUT READ AND REVIEW BECAUSE I'M A NICE PERSON I PROMISE AND I'M SORRY FOR ADVERTISING ON INSTAGRAM BUT IT WAS ALL MINTY'S IDEA AND I'M SORRY GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN'NASAAAAIIII *cries because apples to apples***

**OH AND IF ANY OF YOU WANT MY INSTAGRAM JUST PM ME. I'LL GIVE YOU MINTY'S TOO UNLESS SHE DOESN'T WANT ME TO. *Miley Cyrus-style twerks off into the distance***


	3. Grigiori

Chapter 3: Grigiori.

It's noon in my cramped apartment. I lay across my bed, scents of food burning drifting through my open window. I should get a mission, soon. I haven't ripped any person's soul out of their chest, recently. I miss the feeling. I sigh and sit up abruptly, swinging my tired feet over the cushiony side.

I slide my tan work boots on (which are stained red from various occasions) over my white socks (also stained with residue from battle) and stand up from my bed. I pick up a brush and swipe it through my hair quickly (I should chop it off soon; it's gotten down to my knees and it keeps getting in my eyes), making it as straight as possible. I then pull gleaming knife from a sheath, flipping it over in my palm. Just in case they struggle a little too much. I look at myself in the mirror across from me, cracked from... ah, past experiences.

Swiftly, I walk out of my room, through the remains of a once oh-so-glorious kitchen (another past experience) and out of a dirty door, to a set of stairs. They are made of cracked concrete, the rail so rusted it falls apart at my fingertips every time I make the mistake of grabbing a hold of it. I tramp down the stairs, my stomps shaking the dust from every step. On the landing, I breathe in the sour air, filled with the scents of fire, gasoline, and oddly, hairspray. I shrug the foul scents from my nerves and exhale, stepping into the burning daylight. I quickly pull out my cell phone and dial a number.

"Hello? This better not be another telemarketer..." a voice growls from the other line.

"It is I, Lord Kishin Asura," I murmur through the device.

"What was that?"

"Lord Asura, it is me, Onyx."

"Ohhhhh... what're you calling about?"

"Oh, I would like a mission."

"I'm hungry, so... bring me a bunch of innocent souls; even better if you bring a hostage for me or you to torture. It's quite boring," he drawls, emotionless. I feel my lips tug into a little smirk.

"I shall be back before your dinner time." He chuckles and hangs up.

* * *

I shove my hand into the man's quivering chest, pulling his soul out, feeling it squirm in my clenched hand. I watch as he shrivels to dust which is absorbed by the blue orb. I carefully place it into the giant pillow case-like sack with all the others- one hundred and eight to be exact. It's hard to come by larger, juicy souls these days. Almost not enough to satisfy Lord Asura.

Suddenly, I sense a larger soul. Pure blue, belonging to a girl. She's running from something. And it's peculiar, since such large souls usually belong to-! I intake some breathe, sharply. Small pings of excitement sail through my body. I grin, revealing some sharper than normal teeth, similar to those of Soul Eater Evans. But he was lucky to be born with them. He doesn't have to go insane to have them. I creep around the alley's entrance, the girl running towards me. I casually grab her arm with strength only a Kishin could have. She stops, panting.

"Huh?! What are you doing?" she huffs, trying to yank her arm away. She fails, of course. I grin, showcasing my glistening teeth. I start dragging her into the alley and then stop

"He wanted a hostage, right? Who better than a Grigiori?" I wonder aloud, smiling wider. I swiftly bring out some rope from my bag (it comes in handy more times than expected) and grab her other wrist. I swiftly bind her wrists together, while she screams for help. But no one comes; I killed them all, after all. -

* * *

"Lord Asura?" I call, softly rapping on his office door. It creaks open, revealing a candle-lit room, and my Lord sitting in his chair, scarves drawn all around his face.

"Who knocks on my chamb-! Oh, Onyx, it's you. Are those souls I see? And who is this?" he asks, gesturing to the screaming girl slung over my shoulder. I set down the bag of souls gently and walk over to Lord Asura with the girl. I sit her in the wobbly chair across from Asura. I had bound her ankles together on the journey here since she kept kicking me.

"She's a present, my Lord," I say.

"Oh? What makes her so special?"

"She's a Grigiori." Lord Asura grins and laughs a little.

"My, my. I'll have a feast tonight. Thank you, Onyx. You've proven yourself yet again."


	4. Guy With A Vagina

**Minty: Well hoooowwwwwwdy ho! You're smelling all nice and flowery!**

**Ginger: *sports reporter voice* way to scare half the viewers away, Minty!**

**Minty: Why shank ya very much ≖‿≖**

**Ginger: You are so very shwelcome. ANYWHORE, have we got a chapter for CHU!**

**Minty: Ugh, SO long**

**Ginger: I'm sorry I just started and then I couldn't stop. I actually ended up cutting it off before where I would have wanted to end it... ._.**

**Minty: Well, that should be a satisfactory meal for our readers, at least.**

**Ginger: I hope they like it as much as I do...**

**Minty: Well, let's quit yapping so that out darling readers won't have to wait anymore!**

**Ginger: YESYESYESYES of course dahling~~~ shall we proceed?**

**Minty: But of course!**

**Ginger: THEN LETS GO! *intense background music***

**Minty: YAAAAAAAAAA-**

* * *

Chapter 4: Guy With A Vagina.

Happy Halloween!

Yeah. Sure.

Happy for most. Hell for me.

This is the one night each year where PKWMA students have an excuse to scare the shit out of any sucker they come across. Some pop out of bushes. Some drop buckets of fake blood from trees. Some chase you down the street with a chainsaw.

Yet if you don't go, you're shunned. Especially if you attend PKWMA. And it also may raise suspicion.

So basically, I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

Lovely.

"Abercrombie, hurry up! I want candy." Emory's voice echoes from down the hall. I moan and step out into the hallway.

"Is this really necessary?" I mumble, pouting and pulling my extremely short skirt down over my butt.

"I think you look cute." Emory giggles.

"I'm a slutty nurse, Emory. What about that is cute to you?"

"Everything. Nothing. Puppies are cute." He steps out of the bathroom dressed as a zombie. Really it's just zombie face paint. Besides that, it's just a hoodie and skinny jeans. Not very festive at all.

"I thought so too." I mumble, reaching for my sweatshirt. Emory snags it before I can close my fingers around the cloth.

"Ah-ah-ah~!" He purrs, shaking a finger. I sigh and let my shoulders slump.

"But it's cold..."

"Slutty nurses don't wear hoodies." He says, throwing it on the couch. He grabs the two pillowcases off the kitchen counter and shoos me out the door.

About twenty minutes later, I'm shivering and standing at the edge of the street while Emory bounces away from the front door of the house he's just trick-or-treated at.

"What'd you get?" I ask, completely and utterly bored. Emory holds his bag open.

"A frog. Isn't that neat?"

"Of course it is."

We walk to the next house. Like every other, I wait at the road as Emory goes to knock on the door. It seems like he knows the people living here, and starts a conversation with the man who answers the door.

"Nice costume."

I whip around, yanking my skirt back down. Soul stands there smirking at me. He's wearing a black skeleton sweatshirt and pasty white facepaint with streaks of gray at his mouth and under his eyes.

"Shut up. At least I'm dressed for the occasion. Nice hoodie." I tilt my chin up and cross my arms over my uncomfortably exposed chest. Even though I'm fairly medium-sized when it comes to chest sizes, this dress somehow makes me look like at least a C-cup. It's unsettling.

"Nice ass." He replies. I blush furiously and yank the skirt down again.

"Perv. What do you want? I never really pinned you as the trick-or-treating type. Don't you have a Halloween party to get to?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. I was on my way there right now. I saw a sexy nurse out of the corner of my eye, but when I went to hit on her, I found you." He smirks. I purse my lips. "Thanks."

"Do you want to come with me? Doesn't look like you're having much fun at the moment." He gestures towards the front door of the house, where Emory is following the man inside. He waves to me before he steps through the threshold.

"Don't wait up! They have more candy inside!" He calls with a giggle, disappearing behind the door frame.

"Oh. Wonderful." I mumble, making a mental note to dropkick him over a fence later.

"You comin' or what?" I turn back to Soul to see him holding his hand out to me. I sigh deeply with an emphasis on the ending huff.

"Do I have to?"

"It's your choice. But I already took pictures."

I punch him in the arm. "Bastard."

He laughs and hooks his arm in mine. "Don't worry. I'll keep the number of recipients below a hundred."

Honestly, I've never actually been to a party. I knew there'd be alcohol, but I didn't expect to find a red solo cup in every single kid's hand. I can just barely hear Artic Monkeys playing in the background over the sound of laughing and screaming.

"Arctic Monkeys... what an atmosphere." I mumble as we step inside. Soul looks at me and raises an eyebrow.

"You know Arctic Monkeys?"

"Yeah. I know a couple songs. They're good."

"I did not pin you as an alternative kinda girl."

"Then what did you pin me as?"

"I dunno. Katy Perry. Taylor Swift."

I stick my tongue out and cringe. "Blegh. I get enough of that with all the white girls I'm forced to hang around already." He laughs.

"Oh, c'mon. There aren't /that/ many white chicks at PKWMA."

"Obviously you're not on the same end of the school as I am."

"Soul! You made it!" A high-pitched voice exclaims. Suddenly, a hand appears on Soul's back, shoving him (and me, since my arm is still looped in his) forward.

Soul laughs. "What's up, bro?" He fist bumps a short boy with spikey blue hair and big green eyes.

"Who's the nurse?" He looks me up and down, his eyes halting at my chest. I raise an arm to slap him, but Soul quickly grabs my wrist and returns it to my side.

"Abercrombie. Her name is Abercrombie. Abbey, this is my friend Black Star. Also the host of this party." He says. I give him a quick side glance before plastering on a smile.

"Hiya!" I say cheerfully. Black Star smirks and nods.

"A lovely name for a lovely girl." He gestures to our inter-linked arms. "How many times did he have to ask, eh?"

I slide my arm out of Soul's quickly. "We're just friends."

"Oh, really?" Black Star grins. "In that case, would you like to accompany up to my room?" I suppress a gag and smile cutely.

"Sorry, but I'm not into guys with vaginas."

Soul slaps a hand over his mouth to hide his laughter. Black Star frowns, but soon regains his grin.

"Well with that dick under your skirt, I think we'd fit nicely."

I open my mouth to respond, but Soul steps in between us quickly.

"Alright, well, I don't know about you two, but I think a beer would be nice right about now. Abbey, would you like to join me for a beer?" He drags me away without an answer.

"What was that for? I had a really nice comeback ready too..." I mumble as Soul releases my arm to open a red cooler.

"You don't wanna mess with Black Star. He's easily the strongest at hand-to-hand combat in the whole school. You'd've been out the window and unconscious before you even finished that comeback." He says, digging around through the ice for two beers. He lifts them up and hands one to me.

"Soul. I'm fifteen." I remind him. He smiles.

"Your point?" He snatches a bottle opener off the counter and uses it to pop open both bottles.

"Cheers." He raises his and taps it against mine before taking a swig. I eye the bubbling golden liquid suspiciously.

"You're not trying to get me drunk, are you?"

"With just one bottle? Of course not."

"I don't drink, so it probably won't wake that much to tip me over."

"Well then I'll keep score." I narrow my eyes at him as I slowly raise the bottle to my lips.

It burns in my throat. I exhale loudly, trying to shake the sensation.

"Jesus, that's weird...!" I say, giggling a bit. He laughs. "Typical first timer."

"Don't get all cocky on me." I take another swig. This time, I'm anticipating the burn, so instead it's more of a fizzling in my throat. I get more of the stale, bitter taste this time. It's kinda gross, but I find myself taking another sip. I down it as quickly as I can, which is faster than I anticipate.

Soul places a hand on my back and smiles as I start to cough a bit.

"You okay?" He chuckles. I nod and smile back.

"Yeah. I'm good, just kinda fuzzy." I reply. Another swig.

"Jeez, and I thought you were this innocent little tsundere chick." I frown.

"Well maybe there are parts of me you're missing."

The song changes to something I don't recognize. Soul lifts his chin up, listening, and smiles when he realizes what song it is. "Ah. Nice."

"What song is it?"

"Cage the Elephant, Ain't No Rest For the Wicked. It's a good song." We listen to it for a bit more. When it he's to the chorus, I nod.

"Oh, yeah. I know this song. I'm surprised Black Star likes this stuff, though." I watch as a chair thrown by the twerp hits a blonde boy in the face.

"He doesn't. He dug through my CD collection about three hours ago." He takes another sip.

"You listen to CDs?"

"Yeah. It gives me that pretty-boy-indie-rocker kind of edge." He smiles through the bottle and looks up at me. I laugh.

"This is, like, the most normal conversation I've had in a long time," I say without realizing it. He looks up at me, his smile fading a bit.

"Wh-what do you mean?" He asks. I blush a little and look away.

"Uh, I just meant that... all the people I've talked to lately... have, umm..." I remember the scrap of paper he gave to me at the pet shop.

"That piece of paper..." I trail off. He takes another sip.

"That was nothing. Ignore it."

"Soul, are you...?"

"Of course not. Nobody here is. Stop being stupid."

He avoids my eyes and stares down into his beer.

I blink a couple times.

"O-oh..." I mumble, turning away. "I'm sorry. I-I think I'm going to go find my friends..." I say softly, walking out of the kitchen. I leave my beer sitting on the counter, not even halfway empty yet.

"Abercrombie, wai-!"

"No. It's fine. I'll go be stupid somewhere else."

In any other situation, walking home by myself on Halloween would be out of the question. But tonight I'm too deep in muddled thoughts to think straight. So I hug my arms to my chest and try not to shiver in the crisp October night air.

Come on, Abercrombie. Just because he acts nice doesn't mean he's sane. You're just being hopeful.

But that note...

He's insane. Insane people do all sorts of stuff. Why did I ever think that this was any different?

Is it possible that I...

God, Abercrombie. Stop being an idiot. Even if I did, I couldn't do anything about it. Dating a psychopath? That's a big no.

"Maybe I am insane after all..." I mumble, playing with the lace on my skirt.

Suddenly the slight breeze dies down. A branch snaps behind me. I whip around and raise my arms in a fighting stance, but there's nobody there.

"Hello? Who's there? Show yourself!"

Breathing. On my neck.

I squeal and leap forward and away from whoever stands behind me, rubbing my neck to get rid of the feeling.

It's Onyx.

"Hello, Poohbear~!" She coos, a hand on her cheek. I raise my fists.

"What do you want?"

"I want you..." She replies, blushing and pursing her lips. I blink.

"Huh?"

"I want you... dead!" She screams, grinning maniacally and lunging at me. I dodge, but she pulls out a knife at the last second and catches my cheekbone.

"Agh!" I instinctively bring my hand up to the fresh cut, but it stings when I touch it.

"Come here, pretty nurse!" She points the knife at me and thrusts it forward, missing my head by inches. I feel my ear bleeding against the blade. I duck and roll out of reach, standing with my legs spread.

"Why are you doing this?" I call, my voice shaking with fear. She cackles.

"Isn't it obvious? I've uncovered your secret! You're... sane! You're sane! Saney-saney-sane!" She giggles, twirling the knife around and tilting her head back to laugh at the sky.

"H-how did you...?" Shit. This is not good. The craziest girl at school knows my secret? No way! This could ruin my life... I could be killed!

"It's so obvious! The way you act, the way you speak... I don't know how I didn't notice it sooner!" She raise the knife slowly, and throws it at me. I scream and hold my hands up over my face. Forget being executed. I'm going to die here. Right now...

"I'll go be stupid somewhere else."

Are those the words I'll be remembered by? The last thing I said to Soul... the last words he'll ever hear me say?

What a way to go out.

"Shit...!" Who's that?

I open one eye and see a boy standing in front of me. He has jet black hair, but with three horizontal white stripes running around half of his head. He wears a t-shirt and jeans, and stands hunched over with his back facing Onyx. He opens an eye - it's golden. And gorgeous.

"Oh my god..." I peek over his shoulder and see the knife lodged in his back. Blood squeezes out past the blade and stains his shirt red.

"Are you okay?" He asks, looking up at me. I tear my eyes away from the knife and gape at him.

"Am I okay? You're the one with a knife in your back!" I exclaim.

"It's fine. My body can handle blows like that. I'm more concerned about- gaah!" Onyx appears behind him, forcefully yanking the knife out of his back. He turns and swings his foot at her, but she ducks and grabs his ankle. She yanks it over her head, and it sends him flying in the other direction.

She reaches for me and grabs my arm. I scream - again - as she stabs the blade into my side, grinning as my blood splatters on her cheek.

You'd think that a scream as loud and long as mine would help to numb the pain at least a little, but it didn't. She twists the blade, and I scream louder. I collapse to the ground in a heap.

"Abercrombie!" A familiar voice calls my name. My vision is blurry, but I can see a black figure with white hair yanking Onyx off of me. The knife goes with her. More screaming.

I pant heavily, the excruciating pain in my side beginning to drip out with the blood from the wound. Soul crouches over me, and rips a piece off my skirt. He balls it up and presses it to the wound.

"Oh my god, oh my god... Soul, I'm gonna die..." Panic fills my brain. But then pain reclaims it. Panic. Pain. Terror.

"Calm down, Abercrombie. You're going to be fine. We... we just need to get you to a... a hospital." He's scared. I'm scared. Am I dying? Numbness swallows the pain and replaces it with more terror. Confusion. Agony. Guilt.

More pain.

"Move." The boy from earlier steps into view. Soul looks up at him and frowns.

"Who're you?"

"Right now, the one who can save her. Now step aside, unless you want her to die." He stares at Soul with sincerity and seriousness. Soul exhales through his nose, but moves aside. The boy picks me up gently and props me up against a tree on the side of the road.

"Wh-who are you?"

"That doesn't matter. Just try and slow your breathing down. Focus on my voice." I try and do as he says, but it's getting harder and harder to focus with this blurry vision.

He notices me drifting. "Look into my eyes, Abercrombie. You're going to be fine. Just breathe... slowly. In, out. In, out." He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a little white box. I look at it and watch as he opens it slowly.

He grabs my jaw. "I said look at me, Abercrombie." His voice is soft and stern, but calming. I swallow and give a small nod as he unzips my dress and applies more pressure to the wound, this time directly on my skin instead if through the cloth.

"Is she dead yet?" Onyx cackles. Soul whips his head around.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He yells.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Can't you see it? She's sane! She's not like us!" She screams. I stare into the boys golden eyes, but my focus is on their conversation.

"I-I'm not... I'm not sane..." I mumble.

"Hush. Don't talk. You'll strain your abdomen." The boy says. He turns to Soul.

"Ignore her. Right now I need you to go find Emory." He says.

"I'm not leaving her." Soul insists, placing a hand on my arm. The boy quickly swipes it away, though.

"Don't touch her. Any movement could mean the difference between life and death. She's lost a lot of blood. I need you to go get Emory, and bring him here as soon as possible. Don't waste any time." This kid means business. Soul sighs and stands up, heading in the direction if the house Emory disappeared into.

"I'm going to remove the upper half of your dress, I need to wrap this bandage around the wound." He says as he unzips the top of the dress all the way and slides it off. I hope I'm not too pale.

Wait, I'm only wearing a bra.

Fuck.

"Don't move. I know this is an awkward situation, but you'll bleed to death soon if I don't wrap it." I swallow.

"Mmhmm..." I nod slightly. He tilts my chin up and looks back and forth between my eyes.

"It doesn't look like your soul is flickering out just yet... but it's definitely fading. Keep your eyes on me. Process every word I'm saying."

He takes a roll of gauze out of the little white box and wraps it around my stomach, over a square wad of cloth. He pulls out what looks like athletic tape, but when he wraps it over the gauze it feels softer and less stiff.

"I can't tell you my name... but I can promise you that I'm here to help." He says, smoothing out the tape. It feels tight around my waist.

"Do you want band-aids for those cuts?" He asks, gesturing to my cheek and ear. I give a small, curt nod and he digs through the box. He pulls out two band-aids and unwraps them.

He places the first on my cheek. When he wraps the second around my ear, his cheek is so close to mine I can just feel it brushing against my jaw. I can feel him fiddling with the adhesive.

"Hey!" Soul's voice calls. Footsteps approach us, but I don't turn to face them. Instead I keep my head perfectly still, my cheek just barely against his. He smells like wet roses after a rain shower.

"Abbey! Abbey, are you okay?" Emory's voice asks. I see him crouch down beside me out of the corner of my eye.

"She's fine. She can't talk, and she can't move. She needs to be taken to a doctor, but in her weapon form." The boy moves his cheek away from mine, and I find myself a bit disappointed.

"Can you transform, Abbey?" Emory asks. I look over at him. His zombie makeup has been smeared with tears, and his big green eyes are wide with fear.

"Mmmhmm..." I nod. He smiles through his tears and grabs my hand.

"I thought you were gonna die..." He sniffles.

"I'm f-fine..." I mutter. The boy was right, just those two words put a strain on my abdomen that stung the gash.

"Shh. Just transform. That way we won't have to worry about aggravating your wound."

I nod and transform into my weapon form, a metal whip. Emory hooks me through his belt loop and tightly clutches my leather grip. His wavelength is shaking. He really does care about me, doesn't he?

"I'm not letting you die, Abbey. No way. You're gonna live. I promise." He says in a shaky voice.

If only that were true.


End file.
